Retailers allege Lischewski 'broke the law on Lion Capital’s behalf and took steps to shield Lion Capital from liability for these criminal acts.'

Lion Capital, which owns Bumble Bee Foods, allegedly paid off the tuna firm's CEO, Chris Lischewski, to take the heat in the ongoing class action tuna price-fixing lawsuit, according to documents filed Dec. 29 in US District Court for southern California.

US supermarket giant Kroger recently filed a motion urging the court to expand the defendant list to include Lion Capital and Lischewski because these allegations were discovered after the court's July 2017 deadline to amend pleadings.

"DAPs' proposed amended complaints paint the picture of a direct quid pro quo arrangement in which Chris Lischewski broke the law on Lion Capital’s behalf and took steps to shield Lion Capital from liability for these criminal acts," according to the court documents.

In return, Lion Capital paid Lischewski an undisclosed amount on top of his base salary, states Kroger's court documents.

Bumble Bee CEO seeks to avoid price-fixing case

"Lion Capital does not oppose DAPs’ Motion to Amend, and Bumble Bee barely does," according to court documents. "Mr. Lischewski has filed an opposition, but his papers neither suggest that DAPs could have learned of his financial arrangement with Lion Capital prior to the Court’s deadline, nor dispute that DAPs pursued this evidence diligently. Mr. Lischewski argues that because the DAPs were aware that he was a principal architect of the conspiracy prior to the deadline to amend, Mr. Lischewski should now get away with his misconduct scot-free."

Norwegian king crab prices hit record levels

The retailers allege Bumble Bee, StarKist and Chicken of the Sea and their Asian parent companies Thai Union Group, Dongwon Industries and Tri-Union Seafoods conspired to fix the prices of shelf-stable tuna fish, such as canned and pouch tuna, sold in the United States.

Also, on Friday, Bumble Bee filed a response to retailer Grand Supercenter's antitrust complaint denying most of the allegations.

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Retailers allege Lischewski 'broke the law on Lion Capital’s behalf and took steps to shield Lion Capital from liability for these criminal acts.'

Lion Capital, which owns Bumble Bee Foods, allegedly paid off the tuna firm's CEO, Chris Lischewski, to take the heat in the ongoing class action tuna price-fixing lawsuit, according to documents filed Dec. 29 in US District Court for southern California.

US supermarket giant Kroger recently filed a motion urging the court to expand the defendant list to include Lion Capital and Lischewski because these allegations were discovered after the court's July 2017 deadline to amend pleadings.

"DAPs' proposed amended complaints paint the picture of a direct quid pro quo arrangement in which Chris Lischewski broke the law on Lion Capital’s behalf and took steps to shield Lion Capital from liability for these criminal acts," according to the court documents.

In return, Lion Capital paid Lischewski an undisclosed amount on top of his base salary, states Kroger's court documents.

Bumble Bee CEO seeks to avoid price-fixing case

"Lion Capital does not oppose DAPs’ Motion to Amend, and Bumble Bee barely does," according to court documents. "Mr. Lischewski has filed an opposition, but his papers neither suggest that DAPs could have learned of his financial arrangement with Lion Capital prior to the Court’s deadline, nor dispute that DAPs pursued this evidence diligently. Mr. Lischewski argues that because the DAPs were aware that he was a principal architect of the conspiracy prior to the deadline to amend, Mr. Lischewski should now get away with his misconduct scot-free."

Norwegian king crab prices hit record levels

The retailers allege Bumble Bee, StarKist and Chicken of the Sea and their Asian parent companies Thai Union Group, Dongwon Industries and Tri-Union Seafoods conspired to fix the prices of shelf-stable tuna fish, such as canned and pouch tuna, sold in the United States.

Also, on Friday, Bumble Bee filed a response to retailer Grand Supercenter's antitrust complaint denying most of the allegations.